


Optimistic Thinking

by beanplague



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-25 07:48:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22072396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beanplague/pseuds/beanplague
Summary: Ling and Edward roast a boot over the fire. Ling tries to see the bright side of things.
Relationships: Edward Elric/Ling Yao
Comments: 7
Kudos: 160





	Optimistic Thinking

Ling thinks—not for the first time—that this isn’t the  _ worst  _ possible situation to be in.

It’s more of a self-preservation tactic than anything else. If he were to languish in the misery of the situation (which is quite miserable, all things considered) he might be tempted to give up. To lie down and die, accepting that he has just been cannibalized—is it cannibalism if the creature which consumed him isn’t human?—by Gluttony, whose stomach is a seemingly endless chamber of nothing and nowhere. Taking the optimist’s approach, however, allows him to see the situation in a more positive light. Sure, he may be trapped in Gluttony’s stomach with no escape, but at least he has company with him.

“What the hell are you smiling about?” Very, ah…  _ charming _ company, at that. Edward looks back at Ling with narrowed, scrutinizing eyes.

“Nothing,” shrugs Ling. “I’m just trying to look at the bright side of things.”

“We’re literally about to cook my boot so that we don’t starve to death in this stomach.”

“And we’re being so resourceful about it! See, there’s a bright side.”

“You are so weird,” Edward groans. “I’m gonna die in Gluttony’s stomach—and my only company is  _ this guy,” _ he gestures to Ling, who lifts a hand to his heart.

“Why, I’m almost offended,” he says, “but I assume this is how you treat all your companions, royalty or otherwise. I’m happy to be included.”

“Eat shit and die.”

So charming. Anyway.

Ling sits quietly at the fire, watching intently as Edward cooks this boot. It isn’t  _ so _ bad, he tries to reason. He could die alone, with no hope of escape. With Edward Elric here, there’s a chance of survival. He seems to have preternaturally good luck—which is saying something! Ling has excellent luck, as his history of teenage gambling will tell you—and he’s very smart. Ling glances over a few times, trying to imagine what this alchemical prodigy might be thinking about with his little manlet brain. Maybe he’s constructing a plan to get them out of here, maybe the solution is right on the tip of his tongue. He certainly seems to be thinking of something; his face is serious. He looks at Ling with newfound determination.

“Have you ever kissed anyone?”

Ling blinks. Okay. A little unexpected.

“Yes,” he replies. This is a lie. He’s certainly had no shortage of opportunities to do so—why, he’s the son of the emperor! Prince of Xing! And also… extremely busy. There’s very little time to go about kissing and dating and etcetera when one is searching for a source of eternal life. “Why do you ask?”

“I—” Edward stops, and Ling leans in, intrigued. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“You know what I mean! Quit looking at me.”

Oh, he is  _ adorable. _ It brings a smile to Ling’s face. “Okay,” he says.

“You’re still looking at me—you know what, whatever. Do what you want,” Edward looks down at his hands, which now rest on the ground—is it a ground when one is in a stomach? Whatever. “I… don’t want to die without having a first kiss.”

Oh.  _ Extremely _ adorable.

Normally, Ling would have a tangent prepared about the defeatist mindset Edward is going into this with; or he would have a terrible inclination to tease him about this and that, but instead he manages to produce one thought: “You’ve never kissed anyone before?”

Edward shakes his head. “No,” he says. “I don’t have time for that stuff. I’m busy, okay?”

“Understandable,” Ling pauses, thinking. “We’re not going to die in here. You know that, right?”

“I think it’s pretty likely.”

“Possibly, but we still have a chance to get out. It doesn’t help to be so pessimistic about it,” he says. “And I—” It’s Ling’s turn to say something a little embarrassing. “I would prefer you actually want to kiss me, rather than just want to have kissed  _ someone.” _

“Oh,” Edward replies. His expression is unreadable. Luckily, he’s not exactly one to keep his feelings a mystery. “What if I want to, though?”

Ling raises his eyebrows. “Then I’m sure something… could be arranged?”

“I see.”

Silence.

“I would suggest we kiss  _ before _ eating the boot; if only for the quality of it all,” Ling adds.

“Yeah, yeah. Okay. Let’s do this.” Edward moves to be closer to Ling, before closing his eyes, lips puckered. Oh, God. He really hasn’t kissed anyone before. But he thinks Ling has, which is a misunderstanding that will probably be cleared up within the next few days. Or months. Or years. Really, whenever Ling gets around to clearing it up.

Carefully, he leans forward, softly pressing his lips to Edward’s. It’s nice. Very soft, very idyllic for a first kiss that one is pretending isn’t a first kiss. Edward’s face is hot.

It only lasts a few seconds. Edward blinks after Ling pulls away. “That was… good. Yeah. It was good.”

“I enjoyed it.”

“Nice,” Edward seems a lot more wordless than usual. It’s nice, if a little inconvenient considering the fact that they do need to exit this stomach at some point. Something about kissing makes one want to value their own mortality. “We should eat.”

They eat. Ling thinks about the kiss the whole time.

**Author's Note:**

> lore: manlet is an amestrian term that is considered an offensive alternative to the politically correct xingese phrase, "short king." manlet is ling's favorite amestrian word.
> 
> also this was a gift for my pal edward! check him out on tumblr his art blog is @teambattle.
> 
> on an offhand note, do ao3 ratings factor in profanity? i rated this t for teen because it says the shit word, but it's not actually sexual or Extremely Profane at all. so i wonder.


End file.
